


Springs

by 4RU



Category: Borderlands
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-18
Updated: 2015-08-18
Packaged: 2018-04-15 11:33:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4605180
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/4RU/pseuds/4RU
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's always Springs, never Janey.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Springs

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers for Tales ep.4 if you squint.

Springs. Springs. Springs. _Springs_. Never Janey. Never any cutesy nickname. It was always Springs. Always her last time. Always almost professional. As if they didn’t share a home, a bed. As if the gestures of affection meant nothing. When was the last time Athena instigated a kiss or a hug? The fact that Janey couldn’t even remember it ever occurring in the first place was disheartening. Had there ever even been a time when Athena called her _Janey_?

Her mind blanked and her stomach dropped. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes, threatening to spill over as her vision grew blurry.

No. There hadn’t. And certainly Janey went into this relationship knowing what to expect, knowing that Athena was socially and emotionally stunted. But she had hoped that, maybe, over time, the gladiator would get better.

That hadn’t happened. Athena was still hesitant to even hold her hand in public, or even walk too close. She’d mutter about how anyone could be watching, paranoid little murmuring about assassins or worse. Janey had understood, or at least she thought she had. But even when there was no one about Athena would take three steps aside and refuse the contact, as if burned. And then behind closed doors, away from prying eyes, every kiss and touch had been instigated by Janey. Not Athena.

And when they’d made love – or Janey had assumed it had been such then, now it just seemed like empty sex – it had been _Springs_ Athena called to the ceiling. Not Janey. Never Janey.

All the evidence just pointed to everything being a terrible idea. An absolutely, horrendously, terrible idea. She shouldn’t have sought out a relationship with Athena, not when the woman clearly wasn’t ready for it. She shouldn’t have mistaken Athena’s initial reluctance for shyness. She shouldn’t have even left Elpis.

If Janey had let the woman be on her way, she’d still be home. She’d still have her little shop in Concordia, with the broken fan and squeaking stairs. She wouldn’t have had to endure the atmospheric adjustments, wouldn’t have gotten sick for a full bloody month. She’d have her empty bed and Amelia’s number, her outdated ECHOshows, and cryovine tea every night to keep her nightmares at bay.

There would be none of this- whatever this was. No heartache. No worrying that the next time Athena went out would be the last she’d hear of her. No concerns that Athena would die and Janey wouldn’t ever even know. No fretting about bandit attacks or killer wildlife (okay the absence of kraggons was good, she had to admit that).

And there certainly would be no sitting at the garage alone, crying her eyes out because her entire relationship was just a fluke and doomed to fail.

Yet what Janey could not figure out was why Athena stuck by her even she didn’t care. Though, after mulling it over, Janey could see why. She provided for them, and though money was tight it was money all the same. A roof over their heads. Food in their bellies. A girlfriend with skill in mechanical engineering. And good sex to boot. Why _wouldn’t_ Athena stay?

Her laughter was hollow, self-loathing. Each intake of breath stinging her lungs. And Janey knew she should just call the whole thing off, right then and there. Should just stop the fiasco they called a relationship. Just send a message to Athena and tell her not to bother coming home.

She can’t, though. Can’t bring herself to do it. The sheer thought made her heart ache. Truth was, Janey was scared, alone, and desperate. She didn’t want to lose another lover. She didn’t want her life to suddenly flip on its head again.

And maybe, just maybe, if she stuck through it for a little longer it might actually work out in the end.


End file.
